Dynasty

by Jen Davis et al.

  Madison: I’m worried about you. Let me know how you are, and I expect to see you at work Monday.

  Her heart sank that there were no texts from the person she really wanted to hear from. Jackie placed it back on the counter, only to have it vibrate to life. It was Jasper.

  Finally!!

  The message was brief and to the point, but it said what she wanted to hear. He wanted to work things out. Well, that’s what she hoped it meant.

  But could they?

  Jasper would have trust issues, and she had a lot to work through as well.

  The rest of the day dragged at a snail’s pace. Minute by agonizing minute. Even if things didn’t work out between her and Jasper, she’d already made the decision to stay. Genoa was home now, and there was no place she’d rather be.

  Jackie curled her hair and put on some light makeup. Deciding what to wear was the hard part, but she finally settled on capris, a sleeveless top, and sandals. Standing in front of the mirror one more time before going out the door, Jackie added the infinity earrings, bracelets, and necklace.

  It seemed like so much had happened since he had given her that first gift. What was Jasper feeling right now? Would he be angry? He had every reason to be, but it had never been her intention to get him tangled up in this mess. She’d turned him down numerous times, but in the end, he’d won her over. The next few hours would decide her future—their future. Anxiety had gotten the best of her, so she decided to get outside again and take a walk before leaving. Wringing her hands, it was the best stress relief she could come up with. Jackie grabbed her phone and keys and went outside.

  There was a small wooded park near her building, and that’d be just the trick to calm her nerves and get some much-needed fresh air. All she wanted for the next half hour was a little alone time with nature. Jackie took the path next to the lake. It was basically a hiking path that stopped at different spots in the woods. In the middle was a small park with a few picnic tables and benches. There was also a small parking lot that seem to attract lovers late at night. From what she had heard, anyway. With any luck, it would be too early in the day for that.

  It was a good ten-minute walk before she’d get there. Rounding the bend, she spied a white van in one of the parking spots. What was Dominic doing here? Was he checking up on her? Jackie strode alongside the vehicle. Hopefully, the man hadn’t had to pick up a body here. The side door was open.

  “Dominic?” She poked her head inside, but it was empty.

  Thud.

  She fell forward onto the hard floor of the van. Her elbows burned as they skidded across the rough surface. Jackie rolled over and rubbed the back of her head. She saw stars. What the hell? Before she knew it, someone shoved her legs in the van and slammed the door shut.

  Jackie fought to keep her eyes open. Had Roman changed his mind and decided to get rid of her after all? Not having seen the inside of Dom’s van, she couldn’t be positive this was it. There was a gate separating the driver and the back. Struggling to sit as the vehicle started up and drove out of the park, the man behind the wheel came into focus. It wasn’t Dom. It wasn’t anyone she’d ever see before.

  “What’s going on?” She collapsed back onto the floor. The stranger had hit her over the head. Right now, she should be in panic mode, but the pain was too much to register anything else. It was a concussion, for sure, maybe even a skull fracture.

  “Who are you?” The pain caused her to roll up into the fetal position, but she still had a little fight left in her.

  “Don’t worry, honey.” The man in the front seat finally spoke. “Before the night is through, you’ll know me really well.” His laugh was the last thing she heard before everything went black.

  ***

  Jasper

  Jasper was early to the Pier. He didn’t want to miss Jackie and was too nervous to sit and wait at his place.

  “Can I get you a drink, sweetie?” The waitress stood a little too close. At first, he didn’t recognize her, or even care, but it was a good chance they’d shared a drink somewhere or sometime. Her name was Lacy, Tracy, Stacy, or something like that.

  “Just a water for now. I’m waiting for someone.” He glanced at his phone again.

  “Lucky lady.” The woman walked away with an exaggerated saunter.

  Thirty minutes later, he was still nursing a glass of water and ready to bite off the head of anyone who came in the door and wasn’t the one he was waiting for. He glared at the wall clock for the hundredth time. Well, he was done. Jackie wasn’t coming. If she was anything, it was punctual. The woman was usually early for everything. Cursing, he got up and threw a few bills on the table before marching out the door to his vehicle. Maybe he’d head to Roman’s and punch some bags. The need to hit something was top on his list. Anything to distract him from the emptiness in his chest.

  The phone in his pocket vibrated, and hope rose again.

  “Jackie?” He didn’t bother to look at the scene and kept walking.

  “No, this is Christian.” The deep voice on the other end wasn’t familiar.

  “Who?”

  “Sorry, this is Christian. I’m one of the tech guys. I work for Roman.”

  Jasper stopped. He’d texted back and forth with the tech guys many times, but this was the first time he’d ever spoken with one. “Yeah, what’s up?” This had him on alert, and he scanned the area for anything unusual.

  “One of my duties is to monitor the trackers for abnormal activities.”

  Jasper took a deep breath. The guy even talked like a techy. “And?”

  “The tracker on Miss Smith’s necklace got my attention.”

  It got Jasper’s as well, and he gripped the phone tighter. “What do you mean?”

  “It was in one spot, with her phone, but now the one on the necklace is leaving town.”

  “Wait. What?” Leaving town? “Maybe she just left her phone at home and went for a drive.”

  “No. It’s our belief that’s she’s been taken.”

  Jasper collapsed against this side of his SUV.

  “What the hell do you mean, taken?” His vision blurred.

  “She walked to a wooded area near her home. The phone stayed there, but the tracker on her necklace is still mobile. I searched local camera footage, and it appears she’s in a white van.” White van?

  “Is she with Dom?” This made no sense at all.

  “No, but he and Arlo are on their way to get you and should be arriving in about thirty seconds.” Jasper turned toward the street and could see Arlo hauling ass his direction. “I have Roman standing by as well.”

  “I don’t get it.” Fear like he’d never experience crept down his spine. “Is it the Bratva?” He said a silent prayer for that not to be true. Maybe she was just with a friend, but she didn’t hang out with anyone else, and why was the phone left behind?

  Arlo’s SUV skidded to a stop, and he yelled for Jasper to get in. He jumped in the back and had barely closed the door before they took off.

  “No.” Christian was brief and to the point.

  “Then who is she with?” Jasper still couldn’t wrap his brain around what was happening.

  Dominic turned his way but didn’t say anything, a grim look on his face. Finally, Christian spoke up. “We checked the plates. They belong to Alexander Dubnikov.”

  Jasper’s chin dropped to his chest.

  No. No. No.

  Chapter 24

  Jackie

  Her mouth was dry, and her head throbbed like a mother. She couldn’t move, and it took all the effort she had just to open her eyes. Focusing was another struggle. The room was not familiar. The fact that she was strapped to a table was frightening. Jolted awake, Jackie fought the straps that bound her, but it was no use. They were heavy duty, and even a knife would be useless on them.

  Had she hit her head and was hallucinating? Had she been double-crossed by the Caponellis or taken by the Bratva? She was supposed to meet Jasper. Where was he? Did he even ca
re or know she was gone?

  “Finally. You’re awake.” A man from the van strolled into the room with a coffee cup in hand. He was relaxed and totally at ease with having a woman tied to a table in what could only be a dining room. A kitchen was visible through the open doorway.

  “Where am I, and who are you?” Even talking seemed to take more effort than it should.

  “Name’s Alexander, and I’m your worst nightmare.” He smiled and placed a hand on the table.

  “What do you mean?” Fight or flight instinct kicked in, but since she couldn’t do either, a chill swept through her body.

  “I had so much fun with the last woman I took. I wanted to do it again.” The man talked as if holding someone against their will was the same as playing a video game or taking an amusement ride.

  “What do you mean, the last woman?” Jackie tried kicking her feet, but they barely moved.

  “The girl they found along the road.” Alexander took a sip of coffee and leaned back against the wall. “It was on all the news. I’m sure you saw it. Nothing too exciting ever happens in the little town.”

  “Ah, who is she?”

  “My brother’s favorite whore. I wanted to get his attention, and now that I have you,” he put his hand on her knee, “I have the Caponellis attention, also.”

  “Why would they care about me? I’m not a Caponelli.” She had to keep him talking. Someone had to be coming for her or have noticed she was missing.

  “It’s too hard to get to Roman’s wife or sister, but I watched you with them a few times, so you must be close to the family.” He had a slight slur and a Russian accent.

  “I just work for them. Nothing else.”

  Alexander shrugged his shoulders. “A minor matter. They’ll get the message when I throw your body on their front lawn.”

  “Why would you do that?”

  Oh God. Oh God.

  She was in the hands of a lunatic. A deranged freak who look like any normal guy who walked the streets. He could have been at the coffee shop or grocery store, and no one would have viewed him as anything out of the normal. Average height and build, short blondish hair, bright blue eyes, and dressed in jeans and a t-shirt.

  The guy just shrugged. “Why? Because I want to, and I can.”

  Jackie took a deep breath, then another. The only weapon she had at her disposal was her wits, and being smart would buy her time. It had to be past the time that Jasper was to meet her. He had to know she was missing, but would he think she just stood him up? She briefly closed her eyes and said a quick prayer.

  “You said you wanted to get your brother’s attention. Why?” Jackie pulled questions out of the air. Anything to keep him talking instead of doing.

  “I’m the oldest, yet he has all the power. Fedor’s the one everyone listens to, but once I show what I can do, everyone will be following me, not him.” Alexander circled the table. “Do you know what it’s like to always be in someone’s shadow when you are the first born?”

  She swallowed and shook her head.

  “It’s torture.” His eyes jerked back and forth. The guy was high on something or just plain insane. He brushed her hair away from her face. “You’re so pretty.”

  “Is that why I’m here? You thought I was pretty?” This was so messed up. Tears formed at the corners of her eyes, and his face brightened.

  “No, that was just a bonus.” He placed a cold hand on her bare arm. “You, my dear, were just the easiest target I could get.” Alexander dropped his hand and stepped back. “Now, let the fun begin.”

  “What do you mean?” As hard as she tried to fight it, hysteria filled her veins. Her chest was ready to burst as she gasped for a breath. “Can’t we just talk some more?”

  “No. I’m done talking. Time to play.”

  ***

  Jasper

  Christian was on speaker phone and giving coordinates according to the tracker on Jackie’s necklace. Hopefully, it was still around her neck. They’d sent one of the other tech guys to the park to retrieve her phone and look for any other clues. Her apartment keys had been found near the dropped cell.

  His anxiety level was at a record high. So much for being calm and cool. He was a fucking mess. Thankfully, Arlo was at the wheel, and Dominic had taken over, calling the shots. The man was good at this and not running on emotion. It’d be a different scenario if it were Stephanie who was missing, but then, Jasper would take over. They were both like brothers to him and never more than right now.

  “Has the location changed?” Dominic asked. It was a house out in the country that hadn’t been lived in for years.

  “No. The subject has not moved in the last twenty minutes.”

  The subject? They were talking about the woman he loved and wanted to spend the rest of his life with. A sharp pain pierced his chest just imaging the fear she must be feeling. Twenty minutes was a long time when you were in the hands of a crazy fucking bastard.

  “Give us the layout of the property,” Arlo said. They were only a few miles away, but going in guns a-blazing was never a good idea. In two seconds flat, everyone had a beep on their phones and a detailed map and image of the house Christian gave as Jackie’s location.

  Dominic spoke first. “I say go up and around. We park behind this section of woods and move from there.” Arlo grunted, and Jasper drew his gun.

  It’d been the longest five minutes of his life, but they finally arrived at the location amongst the trees from where they’d strike. Roman had dispatched a couple of cars for backup, and they were already parked out of sight near the end of the driveway of the farm house they’d soon be breaching.

  Adrenaline spiked through his veins as he got out of the car. Jasper took several deep breaths and stepped into mob mode. He brushed aside emotion and became all business. It was the only way to be and the best way to save her—to be a cold-hearted killer and save the one he wanted to spend his life with.

  They quietly pressed the doors shut. Phones were put on mute as Arlo told Christian their next steps. Each man wired themselves up for sound and placed in an earpiece. One of the crew around front had dispatched a drone so Roman could monitor the operation. His boss would use it for training later. What to do, or not do, in this case. They were all connected now and could hear anything that happened.

  As they approached the edge of the tree line, they studied the layout again. It was an older home with an attached garage. The bastard had probably driven his van into the garage and entered that way.

  Dom spoke up. “Any movement visible inside?”

  “Some in the front, so you should be good going in around the back. We’ve got visual of only one man so far,” Christian responded.

  The men out on the road gave an all clear. They were ready to roll.

  “Okay, Dom and I will take the flank, and you go in the front,” Arlo instructed, and Jasper nodded. They’d given him the lead roll with them as backup. He’d have fought it if it were any other way. Dom tossed some sunglasses, a trucker hat, and a hoodie his way on the off chance that Alexander might know who he was. “Ring the doorbell, and say your car stopped and your cell is dead. Just keep your head to the side so he can’t see the earpiece.” Jasper traded his suitcoat for the disguise.

  “Yeah, I know the drill.” He’d done it many times, but never had it been this important. Jasper both prayed that she was in there and hoped that she wasn’t.

  They sneaked up to the house with the drone in place. Christian would give a shout out if anyone was seen near a window.

  With Arlo and Dom in place, Jasper reluctantly holstered his gun. If the guy caught a peek of that, there was no way he’d open up. Running his fingers through his hair, Jasper made the sign of the cross, pulled the hat down low, and knocked on the front door. Footsteps sounded from inside as they neared, but no one showed.

  He knocked again before yelling, “Hello. Anyone home?” Jasper could feel the man’s presence on the other side of the door. “My car broke down, and my
phone is dead. Can you call someone for me?”

  “Subject is by the front door, and I have a visual on Jackie,” Arlo’s voice sounded in his ear. “Go in on two. One. Two.” Glass windows shattered on two sides of the house as he and Dom broke in. Jasper kicked in the door, taking down the man behind it. Jasper was on him in an instant, smashing his face over and over with his fist. He was in a rage as blood spattered the wall and floor around them.

  “Stop.” Arlo grabbed Jasper from behind and pulled him off. “I’ll take care of this piece of shit. You go to her.” He nodded toward the hallway before giving the all clear over the radio.

  Jasper hurried to the door at the end of the hall, both eager and afraid of what he might find. What he saw would haunt him forever. Jackie lay tied to a table. Dominic stood beside her with a knife trying to cut her loose. Black lines had formed on her face where tears and mascara had mixed together. Her eyes met his, and he rushed to her side as Dom was finally able to get the first strap loose.

  “Jackie, my angel.” He crushed her to his chest before putting her at arm’s length to check her over. “Are you hurt? Did he do anything to you?” The knot in his stomach finally dissolved when she said that he hadn’t.

  “Thank God you’re here.” She cried and enveloped her trembling body in his after Dom cut the final tie. “His name is Alexander. He’s the man who tortured that poor girl and was about to do the same to me.”

  Roman voice sounded over the ear piece. “Everything secure?”

  “Yes, sir.” Several men gave their location and status.

  “Dom, how do you want to resolve this?” Arlo asked while dragging Jackie’s kidnapper into the room.

  “Put him on the table so I can work on him.” No one touched his woman and lived to tell about it. Jasper picked Jackie up and carried her to a nearby chair.

  Arlo threw the bloody mess of a man onto the table and gathered the ties to strap him down. Jasper untangled himself from Jackie and stood up. He was going to enjoy this. On his way to the task, Dom stood in his way. “I got this.”